I am a New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident, but I have been studying overseas recently. Can I apply?

I am not a New Zealand Citizen, New Zealand Permanent Resident, Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident. Can I apply?

Answer:

If you have completed Year 12 and have completed, or are in the process of completing, Year 13 at a New Zealand school (or an equivalent foundation level course at a New Zealand tertiary institution) you can apply.

I am an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. Can I apply?

Answer:

Yes, so long as you meet other eligibility criteria. A reciprocal agreement between the New Zealand and Australian governments enables Australian citizens and permanent residents studying in New Zealand to be classified as domestic students.

I have previously completed tertiary study at a Polytechnic, but now wish to embark on university study. Can I apply?

Answer:

Applications are not normally open to those who have studied more than 0.4 EFTs at any University or tertiary institution at degree-level or higher. If you have not studied at degree-level or higher then you may apply, so long as you meet other eligibility criteria.

I have previously completed tertiary study at another university, but now want to complete further undergraduate study at the University of Otago (I have not studied at Otago before). Can I apply?

Answer:

The intention of these scholarships is to support students who are coming to university for the first time and are studying at first-year, 100-level. Applications are not normally open to those who have studied more than 0.4 EFTs at any University or tertiary institution at degree-level or higher.

Question:

I have previously completed tertiary study at another university, and now want to enrol at the University of Otago for the first time in order to complete a postgraduate qualification. Can I apply?

I am not of Māori or Pacific descent, but I identify strongly with one (or both) of these communities. Can I apply for the Māori and/or Pacific Peoples’ Entrance Scholarships?

I am not from a particularly disadvantaged background, but I know university is going to put some financial strain on me. Should I apply for the 150th/Alumni Appeal Entrance Scholarships?

Answer:

No. While we recognise that tertiary education can be expensive, these scholarships are particularly for students whose financial circumstances present a much greater barrier to tertiary education than is usual for the majority of students.

Question:

Is there an income limit for the 150th/Alumni Appeal Entrance Scholarships?

Answer:

We don't set an income bracket for students wishing to apply for the 150th/Alumni Appeal Entrance Scholarships. The information provided on the income and asset declaration form is assessed alongside the other information provided on the application for this scholarship to determine which applicants have significant financial need and/or have life circumstances that present barriers to studying at university, and meet the other eligibility criteria for the scholarship.

Question:

Are University of Otago 150th Entrance Scholarship applicants automatically considered for the Ralph & Eve Seelye Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarships?

Answer:

Yes. You cannot apply for the University of Otago Ralph & Eve Seelye Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarships without applying for the University of Otago 150th Entrance Scholarships. Applications for the University of Otago 150th Entrance Scholarship received by 15 August will be considered for the Ralph & Eve Seelye Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarships.

Please note that you will not be considered for the Ralph & Eve Seelye Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarship if applying for the University of Otago Alumni Appeal Entrance Scholarship closing on 5 December.

Question:

I wish to apply for a Performance Entrance Scholarship, but I won’t be studying in my performance area at university. Can I apply?

Answer:

Yes. You don’t need to be studying your area of performance to apply, although this can be an advantage in some areas (for example performance music), where it can demonstrate an on-going commitment to your area of performance.

Question:

Do I have to enrol in a course before applying for scholarships?

Answer:

You must have completed the first stages of enrolment at the University of Otago to access the online entrance scholarship application.

What information should I give my referee?

Can I use a family member as a referee?

Answer:

This is strongly discouraged, as it constitutes a conflict of interest. If circumstances dictate that only a family member can provide a reference, they should declare this conflict of interest when providing their reference and the reason why they are providing the reference in spite of this.

Question:

I am at school or completed school in the last two years, but I want to choose my own referees for the scholarships where you would usually contact my referees directly. Can I do this?

Answer:

No.

Question:

I changed school recently and I am worried that the person providing references at my new school won’t know enough about me to be able to comment accurately. What should I do?

Answer:

We recommend making an appointment with your [new] school’s Careers Advisor to talk through this issue with them, and let them know about your accomplishments. Note too that referees get to see the statements you have provided along with your application, so your achievements will be known to the person making the reference.

Question:

I want to seek references directly myself, or I already have letters of reference – can I upload these as part of my application as well as (or in place of) naming referees to provide references?

Answer:

No. The references we require need to be confidential. We will not use any other uploaded references in decision-making for scholarships.

Question:

Do I need to ask my referee to send their reference to you?

Answer:

Reference requests will be sent by email after scholarship applications close. The University of Otago does not follow up with individual referees for scholarships. We recommend you check with your nominated referees that they have provided references as the due date approaches. Failure to receive references may see your application disqualified from further consideration.

Transcripts and grades

Question:

Why is Year 12 the significant year for the academic component of Entrance Scholarship awards?

Answer:

This is because it is the last complete year for all New Zealand high school students. By the time you apply for Entrance Scholarships in the middle of Year 13, we are able to compare the full academic year of results from Year 12 with the other applicants, and do not have to be concerned about the variability in how schools upload results and when they are available to the University of Otago.

Question:

I am doing much better academically in Level 3 than I did in Level 2. Will you take my internal assessments at Excellence in Level 3 into account?

Answer:

It is very unlikely that your Level 3 work will be taken into account for the Entrance Scholarship applications that close on 15 August and 5 December. Level 3 results are very important though for the University of Otago New Frontiers Entrance Scholarships. (Please note that the University of Otago New Frontiers Entrance Scholarships cannot be held concurrently with the other Entrance Scholarships that close on 15 August or 5 December).

Question:

I am not studying towards NCEA – how do you compare my grades to those people studying under NCEA?

Answer:

The University has grade conversion tools and guidelines it uses for this. As a general rule, applicants who receive Academic Excellence Scholarships would generally be in the top 1% of all students academically.

Question:

I am studying towards NCEA (or my last completed qualification was NCEA) – do I need to upload my transcript?

Answer:

No. But please also ensure your NSN number is entered correctly when applying to the University of Otago.

Question:

I am studying (or last studied) at tertiary level; what transcripts should I upload?

Answer:

Primarily your tertiary-level (i.e. your most recent) transcripts.

Question:

I am on exchange; what transcripts should I upload and which system should I record as my primary educational system?

Answer:

Please record your educational system as ‘other’ and note both your New Zealand and exchange systems of study. Similarly, please upload both your New Zealand transcripts and any transcripts from your exchange.

Question:

I am studying overseas – how do you compare my grades to those people studying in New Zealand?

Answer:

The University has grade conversion tools and guidelines it uses for this. To assist us in assessing your transcript, please provide any information on the transcript relating to the grading (for example a ‘grading key’). Information on your rank or relative position in your class, if available, is strongly recommended.

Question:

I am currently studying towards the International Baccalaureate and don’t have final grades yet; what should I do?

Answer:

Please upload any provisional transcripts you have. The University will seek further information on predicted IB grades from your school.

Question:

I am studying (or have studied) a mix of NCEA and another system (such as IB or CIE); which of these systems should I record as my primary educational system?

Answer:

If you are primarily studying towards IB or CIE, please identify that system and then upload your NCEA record of learning along with your IB/CIE results. If you are studying a mixed system, select “Other” as your educational system and upload transcripts from all systems under which you are studying.

Declaration of income and assets (for the 150th/Alumni Appeal and Donna-Rose McKay Entrance Scholarships)

Where can I find the income and asset declaration form?

I or my parents income varies each week. What should I put as weekly income on the income and asset declaration form?

Answer:

If your income varies each week you should calculate the total you earned in the last 12 months and divide by 52 to give an average weekly income.

Question:

Should I (or my parents/guardians) include any income from benefits on the income and asset declaration form?

Answer:

Yes.

Question:

I don’t have anything to do with my parents (or a parent) – do they need to complete an income and asset declaration?

Answer:

Not necessarily. There is space on the form to explain if you are estranged from one or both of your parents, however you will need to provide the name and contact details of someone who can confirm this if asked.

Question:

My parents are separated and they do not want to share financial information with one another – how can they complete the income and asset declaration form?

Answer:

It is acceptable to separate out the pages of the form and have different parties complete and sign just their particular section (this might mean one section is provided several times with the different details of different parties). Note that you will need to collate the different parts of the form together though (for uploading) and also summarise all the collected information on the final page of the form and in the online application.

Question:

I or my parents have accountancy statements detailing our financial position – can I upload these as well as (or instead of) the income and asset declaration form?

Answer:

No. Please use the form provided. If you do not upload a completed income and asset declaration form, your scholarship application is unlikely to be considered.

Question:

I don’t feel comfortable providing financial information – can I apply for the 150th/Alumni Appeal and Donna-Rose McKay scholarships without doing this?

Answer:

No. We appreciate the sensitivity of this information and assure you it will be treated with the utmost care and confidentiality. Only selection panel members and those involved in the administration of these scholarships will have access to this information, and only for the purposes of selecting the scholarships. Collection of such information is necessary however, in order to ensure that these scholarships are awarded to students with genuine financial need.

Scanning documents for uploading

Question:

I don’t have access to a scanner, what can I do?

Answer:

You could take a digital photo and upload this as a JPEG file. If you have multiple images you will need to combine them into one file. Just make sure the file isn’t larger than 2MB and that the information in the photo is very clear and readable.

Question:

What formats can I upload my documents in?

Answer:

PDF or JPEG – and each file must not exceed 2MB in size.

Question:

Can I upload multiple files – for example different files for each of my transcripts?

Answer:

No – for each requested upload, all documents must be in one file only; one file of all your transcripts (if required) and one file of your income and asset declaration form (if applying for 150th or Donna-Rose McKay Entrance Scholarships). There are free online applications for merging PDF documents together: we recommend entering “combine pdfs” into a search engine such as Google.

Question:

I can’t figure out how to get my documents into an electronic format – help!

Answer:

Don’t panic! Please email entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz and we will try to find a solution to your problem. Note that unless you have your documents in an electronic file however, you shouldn’t attempt to complete the online scholarship application. Please contact us first, but please note that we have many queries and requests in the days and hours leading up to the closing of Entrance Scholarships. If you find out you are having scanning and uploading problems two hours before the scholarships close, we may not be able to provide timely support.

Applying online

Question:

Can I apply for more than one entrance scholarship?

Answer:

Yes, you can and should apply for as many entrance scholarships as you are eligible for. You will need to tick the boxes for every scholarship that you wish to apply for when you access the online application, as after you have submitted your scholarship application you will not be able to return to select more.

What do I need to prepare for my application?

I've completed step 3 on this webpage and I can't see an apply now button. What should I do?

Answer:

Have you applied for a 2019 programme of study? If you have applied for a 2018 programme you will not see the entrance scholarships apply now button. You will need to cancel your 2018 programme application and apply for a 2019 programme. If you are interested in studying Physical Education please visit this webpage for further information on the programme options available for 2019.

Have you applied for an Honours programme? I.e. Bachelor of Commerce with Honours. If so, this is a one-year postgraduate programme that you can complete after your undergraduate degree. You will need to apply for an undergraduate programme (i.e. Bachelor of Commerce) to be able to apply for entrance scholarships.

Have you applied for the Health Sciences Undergraduate Professional Programme? If so, you will need to do the Health Sciences First Year before you can enter a professional programme. After applying for the Health Sciences First Year you will be able to apply for entrance scholarships.

Have you completed a paper at the University of Otago while at high school? If so, you won't automatically get the apply now button. After you've completed step 3 on this webpage, email us at entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz and include your Otago student ID number in your email.

Are you an international student who has completed, or is in the process of completing, a Foundation Year programme? If so, you will not get the apply now button automatically. After you've completed step 3 on this webpage, email us at entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz and include your Otago student ID number in your email.

Can I save my online application halfway through and come back and finish it off later on?

Answer:

Yes, but make sure you submit your application before the scholarship closing date. You will be able to access your application again by using the "Apply now" button you first used. You will be taken back to the start of the application but all answers you gave previously will still be there.

Question:

The Academic Excellence and Leaders of Tomorrow Entrance Scholarships are combined in the online application but I only want to apply for one. How do I apply for it separately?

Answer:

The Academic Excellence and Leaders of Tomorrow Entrance Scholarships require the same information, so there is one application for both. You will be asked at the end of the questions for these scholarships whether you wish to be considered for Academic Excellence, Leaders of Tomorrow, or both.

Question:

The Performance Entrance Scholarship application asks for my area of performance excellence and primary performance discipline, but I excel in more than one activity. Can I enter more than one?

Answer:

The Performance Scholarship application will ask you for one area of performance and discipline in which you excel. You can only select one so we recommend you choose the one you have the greatest achievement in. However, with the 5 statements describing significant performance activities, you can mention all achievements, so you don’t have to write about only achievements from the performance area/discipline you have identified.

I’m stuck – help!

How do I know if I have submitted my applications?

Answer:

Check your eVision portal. You won't get a confirmation email but will be able to see in your portal under the "Scholarships and awards" section if your applications have been submitted. See Step 11 here.

Results

When should I know whether I’ve received a scholarship or not?

For Entrance Scholarships with a 15 August closing date, we anticipate applicants will receive notification of results by mid-October.

For Entrance Scholarships with a 5 December closing date, we anticipate applicants will receive notification of results by mid-January.

Question:

I haven’t received news about my scholarship – what should I do?

Answer:

If you applied for scholarships which closed on 15th August, and it is after October, and you are sure you haven’t received any message from us, first check your eVision portal, then email entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz and include your University of Otago student ID number. If it is before the end of October, just wait – results should be with you by that date.

Question:

I missed out on a scholarship but I’m a top student – can I ask for reconsideration of the decision?

Answer:

No. Scholarship decisions are final and we will not enter into discussion about these. Unfortunately demand for these scholarships is very high, so even some excellent students miss out.

Question:

I received a scholarship but have decided to turn it down – do I need to let the University of Otago know this?

Answer:

Yes, please do. As we operate waitlists for some of our scholarships, if you can let us know as soon as possible, we may be able to offer the scholarship to another deserving candidate. Your scholarship offer notification in eVision contains accept and decline buttons for you to communicate your decision with us.

If you have decided to turn down your scholarship offer after accepting your offer in your eVision portal, please email us at entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz and include your University of Otago student ID number in your email.

Please note that if you have committed to a Residential College, you may still have financial liabilities with the College if you accept then subsequently decline your Entrance Scholarship.

Question:

I have received a scholarship but I’m not sure whether to accept it or not, because I am waiting on other scholarship results, and I won’t know about these till after my acceptance decision is due with the University of Otago; what should I do?

I received a scholarship – do I have to take it up in 2019, or can I wait?

I received a scholarship and then was awarded Dux of my school and so became eligible for the University of Otago Dux Scholarship – can I have both awards?

Answer:

Yes, however the extent to which any or all of the full value of the Dux Scholarship is payable will be determined by the success, or otherwise, in securing other University of Otago Entrance Scholarships.

I received a University of Otago Entrance Scholarship and have also been awarded another scholarship from an external provider. Can I hold both?

Answer:

University of Otago Entrance Scholarships are usually able to be held concurrently with other undergraduate scholarships, see the Entrance Scholarships terms and conditions, however we advise checking the regulations for the other scholarship(s) you have been awarded to ensure they also allow concurrent tenure.

Payment of scholarship

Question:

How does payment of my scholarship work?

Answer:

First year scholarship recipients

As per point 4 of the Entrance Scholarships Terms and Conditions, the monetary award of the scholarship is normally received in Semester 1 as a contribution to or payment of (in order): a) Residential College fees; b) tuition fees at the University of Otago and c) payment to your bank account made after April in the year of tenure.

Residential College payment: If you are planning on staying in a Residential College, the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office will work directly with the Residential College and the Accommodation Office to transfer the scholarship contribution towards your accommodation fees

Tuition fees payment/Payment to bank account: If you are not staying in a Residential College, and are eligible for fees-free, we will be offering two options with regard to your 2019 entrance scholarship, as follows. We will contact you in February 2019 for your decision on which option you choose to take.

Option 1: Receive your scholarship as a contribution to general living costs, paid in monthly instalments from March 2019 (after course confirmation).

Option 2: Have the value of your scholarship credited against your fees for your second year of study, 2020.

Residential College payment: If you are planning on staying in a Residential College, the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office will work directly with the Residential College and the Accommodation Office to transfer the scholarship contribution towards your accommodation fees

Tuition fees payment: If you are not staying in a Residential College, and are not eligible for fees-free, then the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office will work with the Student Finance Office to ensure your scholarship contribution towards tuition fees is made. The fee rebates for scholarship recipients will be processed by the due date for fees. Once the fee rebate has been processed, the payment will be visible in the Finance section of your eVision portal.

Payment to bank account: If you are eligible for a payment of your scholarship, the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office will provide you with more information on how the payment will be applied. Payment will not be made until after April, once the deadlines for changing programme/s and first semester papers has passed.

Second and third year scholarship recipients

If you have met the grade requirements for continuation of your scholarship, your scholarship will be processed as a tuition fee rebate. This will be processed by the due date for fees.

The full amount of your scholarship for this year will be applied to your tuition fee account. Once the fee rebate has been processed, the payment will be visible in the Finance section of your eVision portal. If there is a credit after the deadlines for changing programme/s and first semester papers has passed, we will arrange for the balance to be paid to you. This payment will not be made until after April, and we will contact you closer to this time with further details.

Question:

When will my Residential College receive the scholarship payment?

Answer:

The Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office will arrange directly with your College early in the year to apply your scholarship to your accommodation fee account. We suggest talking to your College to discuss payment options, but generally the scholarship will be applied as a lump sum at the start of the year, so usually it can go towards an initial lump sum payment amount.

Question:

Will my scholarship pay for the Residential College deposit?

Answer:

No. Your offer letter will state that the scholarship is not able to be used for payment or part-payment of Residential College placement, entry, deposit, activity or equivalent fees.

Deferring a scholarship

Question:

I'm planning on taking a gap year, can I defer my scholarship?

Answer:

It may be possible to defer taking up a scholarship for a year. To do so, please apply in writing to the Manager, Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships at the email address entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz with your reasons for requesting a deferral. Please include your full name and University of Otago student ID number in your email. We recommend you check the regulations for the scholarship you have been offered.

Please note: as per the Entrance Scholarships Terms and Conditions, deferrals will not be granted where a recipient is studying at another tertiary institution at degree level prior to or during the scholarship tenure.

Other queries

If you have a question that isn't answered above, please contact the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships Office by email:entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nzIf you have a University of Otago student identification number, please include this in your email.